Normalcy
by ArCHiE 1up
Summary: Hermione asks a question that keeps Harry awake, pondering whether he would be better off with a normal life


**Just something I thought up on my way home from work while listening to 3 Doors Down "If I Could Be Like That." I hope you like! And yes, I am still working on PVGR. I kinda have the next chapter done—it is certainly long enough! I'm just not happy with it so I guess we'll see how it goes. I am having trouble finding a good stopping point. Keep on the lookout for it though! **

**Normalcy**

"_Do you wish…that we could have had normal lives?"_

Her question echoed in his mind, even while she slept in his arms. Rain lashed furiously against the walls of the tent, creating a hum-drum background lullaby for the three occupants inside. Soft snores told him that Ron had fallen asleep halfway through his shift as watchman. Normally, Harry would take up the rest of his post, as keeping their current whereabouts a secret was always a high priority. However, tonight, Harry had other things on his mind.

_As Harry and Hermione crawled into bed, Hermione snuggled up close to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Sleet poured all around them in the frigid and snowy forest their tent was currently nestled in, creating a slushy drone outside. Drowsy from the day's events, Hermione wasted no time closing her eyes and beginning to drift off to sleep._

"_G'night Harry." She murmured, nuzzling her mane of hair into his neck._

_As a tingling feeling of warmth spread through him, Harry leaned over to kiss her gently on her forehead before whispering, "Sweet dreams, Hermione. I love you."_

_Hermione only "mmhmm'ed" in response, causing Harry to smile. As he closed him eyes, ready to let the Sandman whisk him off to a world of dreams, he heard Hermione mumble something incoherently. _

"_Hm?" He asked, keeping his eyes closed._

"_Do you wish…that we could have had normal lives?" She_ _repeated, barely audible._

_Harry lazily opened his eyes. "Normal lives?" He asked tirely. "I'm not sure I even know what that is." He joked but Hermione didn't respond. After a few seconds, Harry realized she had already fallen asleep. He decided to resign himself to sleep as well._

Yet now, perhaps even an hour later, Harry still remained awake with Hermione's simple half-conscious musings plaguing his mind.

He was lost, racking his brain, trying to find even a small clip of normalcy in his past. He decided growing up in a cupboard under the stairs with the powers to magically grow his hair back after a terrible haircut from his aunt and setting a boa constrictor on his cousin weren't exactly normal. Nor was having a house-elf in his bedroom or his uncle locking him in his room with bars on his window and shoving food through a cat flap. Certainly being rescued by a flying Ford Angela was a tad unusual.

Then there had been Hogwarts. Nothing at his school could have been considered anything short of extraordinary and, well, magical. However, even by wizard standards, his life hadn't been normal at his school. He tackled a troll and smuggled a dragon out of Hogwarts at eleven. Brewed a Polyjuince Potion, found the Chamber of Secrets, and defeated a Basilisk at twelve. Went back in time and helped an escaped convict escape again when he was thirteen. At fourteen, he participated in the Triwizard Tournament (battled a dragon, dived into the Black Lake and was at the mercy of Merpeople, then wound his way through a maze filled with horrifying creatures ready to tear him apart). Not to mention he also dueled Lord Voldemort at the end of his Fourth Year as well, which had been much more frightening in than anything he had encountered in the tournament. Fifth year was no different. At fifteen, not only did he have regular visions of the Dark Lord, he started a prohibited dueling club, broke into the Ministry of Magic only to battle Death Eaters before encountering Voldemort himself once more. No, his Fifth Year hadn't been any different as the _Daily Prophet_ constantly slandered his name. He hadn't seen the life of a normal sixteen year old either. Instead, he delved into memories of Tom Riddle and helped Dumbledore find a Horcrux in that dreadful cave. No, it was not considered normal to have to differentiate between being destined to kill Voldemort and choosing to be the one to destroy him. Falling for Hermione had been the most normal thing that had happened to him all year. How cliché and typical it had been for him to be in love with his best friend—his rock, his confidant.

Now, at seventeen, it was perhaps his most unusual age yet. He and his friends were on the run from everyone. They changed scenery daily, camping out in an old tent as they attempted to track down Horcruxes. Infiltrating the Ministry, learning of the Deathly Hallows, breaking into Gringotts—all extraordinary feats. Not that he was extraordinary…just…not normal, even by wizard standards.

Consumed by his musings, Harry began to wonder what things would be like if his life had indeed been normal. His parents would most likely be alive. He certainly wouldn't be freezing in a tent at the moment. He never would have faced the troll on Halloween—not that that would have ever even happened anyhow. Even if it had, the normal thing would have been to run to the safety of the house common rooms. Same goes with the Chamber of Secrets. None of the other _normal_ students went looking for it. No one else ran off into the Forbidden Forest with their best mate and almost became the dinner of a colony of acromantulas. Had Hermione been normal, she never would have required the Time-Turner to maintain her impossible course schedule, nor would they have needed its aid in rescuing Sirius Black. He never would have won the entered the tournament or had witnessed Voldemort's rebirth. Fifth year wouldn't have been filled with nightmares and the _Daily Prophet_ referring to him as an attention-seeking nutter. Sixth year would have been much easier as well, without his "destiny" looming over his head and his curiosity of Malfoy's mission. None of the other students had cared of his whereabouts. And now, he wouldn't be on the run. No, he would be at Hogwarts, worrying about his upcoming N.E.W.T.S. like every other normal seventeen year old wizard and perhaps trying to find a way to upset _Headmaster_ Severus Snape.

Normalcy sounded amazing at the moment. What would he give to lead a normal life?

Despite his conscious yearning for a normal life, another small thought slithered slowly into his brain.

Would Ron have found him as interesting without his scar? Would he and Ron ever become friends with Hermione if they hadn't tackled that troll? If they hadn't defeated the Basilisk, would Muggleborns become prey to it in years to come? If he hadn't won the Triwizard Tournament, he never would have had the gold to give to the Weasley twins to start their own joke shop. If he hadn't started Dumbledore's Army and broke into the Ministry, he may never have experienced the loyalty of having a gang of mates stand behind you, even in the face of danger. He never would have been able to witness the evil he had be subject to watching in his Sixth Year, which had only helped him not only notice but appreciate the Light so much more. Despite how terrible it was to be on the run right now, he had also felt himself mature and grow fonder than ever of his two best friends, who proved to be loyal through thick and thin—which was a thought that could keep him warm even on a blustering night like this.

Both lives had their merits. Both had their drawbacks as well. Harry contemplated the sacrifices he had made for others. Were they worth it? Growing up without parents didn't somehow didn't seem to be a fair payment. The death of his godfather didn't seem to be a fair payment. Willingly thrusting his own life into the hands of others to ensure their future did not seem like a fair payment for the present, not even for all the blessings.

However, as Harry laid there and tried to imagine his life differently, without Hermione lying so contently in his arms, he wondered if he would risk it. Would he risk a life of normalcy for the mere possibility of never holding Hermione like this? For the chance of never feeling her lips on his? For the possible prospect of never seeing aroused passion shine in her bright brown eyes? Harry had indeed been a gambler in the past, but over this?

Harry unconsciously pulled her closer to him, almost shuddering at the thought. Ron's snores interrupted his musings. Would he risk losing Ron's friendship? There were many things he would give up for normalcy. However, when it came down to it, if there was any chance he would lose Ron's loyalty to him or—'_more importantly_'he thought guiltily—Hermione's love, there was no question about it:

"No, Hermione, I wouldn't change our lives to just being normal." Harry whispered softly, closing his eyes.

**So? What did you think? I know it was short, but it just popped into mind. Please review!**


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